Annual increments of juniper as a climatic proxy

Dendroclimatology can play an important role in understanding past climatic changes, and where trees are not present it may be possible to utilize shrubs instead. Liang et al. examine the dendrochronological potential of Wilson juniper (Juniperus pingii var. wilsonii) growing at high altitudes from 4740 to 4780 m a.s.l. on the Tibetan Plateau, and find reliable cross-dating between ring-width variability and distinct climatic signals. One individual is 324 years old, thus making the species a potentially valuable source of data. The results also suggest that moisture during summer months is a limiting factor in the growth of the plant.